A great Fasting Start! Gin weaves a delightful journey to liberation from pain and misery, and food drama. I laughed through the whole book! It's method really worked for me. Gin has a great FB group support, Podcasts and more. Super fun audible, read by Gin, herself.

Click here for the book!

The Obesity Code is the first of Jason Fung's vital information about returning to health and vitality, losing weight, and stabilizing blood sugar.

Visit Jason Fung at his website.

 www.DietDoctor.com

Click here for the book!

The Diabetes Code is another great book of information specific for reversing and preventing type 2 diabetes, or pre-diabetes diagnosis. 

Visit Jason Fung at his website. www.DietDoctor.com. 

Click here for the book!

What happens to you when you have a doctor plug both of your nostrils for 2 weeks, and you become a 100% mouth breather? 

Read below for excerpts from James Nestor's book

BREATH: The New Science of a Lost Art

“Mouth breathing causes the body to lose 40 percent more water (at night). I felt this all night, every night, waking up constantly parched and dry. You’d think this moisture loss would decrease the need to urinate, but, oddly, the opposite was true.”

During the deepest, most restful stages of sleep, the pituitary gland, a pea-size ball at the base of the brain, secretes hormones that control the release of adrenaline, endorphins, growth hormone, and other substances, including vasopressin, which communicates with cells to store more water. This is how animals can sleep through the night without feeling thirsty or needing to relieve themselves. 

But if the body has inadequate time in deep sleep, as it does when it experiences chronic sleep apnea, vasopressin won’t be secreted normally. The kidneys will release water, which triggers the need to urinate and signals to our brains that we should consume more liquid. We get thirsty, and we need to pee more. 

“A lack of vasopressin explains not only my own irritable bladder, but the constant, seemingly unquenchable thirst I have every night.”

There are several books that describe the horrendous health effects of snoring and sleep apnea. They explain how these afflictions lead to bed-wetting, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, and so on. I’d read a report from the Mayo Clinic which found that chronic insomnia, long assumed to be a psychological problem, is often a breathing problem. 

The millions of Americans who have a chronic insomnia disorder and who are, right now, like me, staring out bedroom windows, or at TVs, phones, or ceilings, can’t sleep because they can’t breathe. And contrary to what most of us might think, no amount of snoring is normal, and no amount of sleep apnea comes without risks of serious health effects. 

Mouth breathing was also making me dumber. 

A Japanese study in humans from 2013 found that mouth breathing delivered a disturbance of oxygen to the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain associated with ADHD. Nasal breathing had no such effects. 

The ancient Chinese were onto it as well. 

“The breath inhaled through the mouth is called ‘Ni Ch’i, adverse breath,’ which is extremely harmful,” states a passage from the Tao. “Be careful not to have the breath inhaled through the mouth.”

Mouth breathing, it turns out, changes the physical body and transforms airways, all for the worse. Inhaling air through the mouth decreases pressure, which causes the soft tissues in the back of the mouth to become loose and flex inward, creating less space and making breathing more difficult. 

Mouth breathing begets more mouth breathing. Inhaling from the nose has the opposite effect. It forces air against all those flabby tissues at the back of the throat, making the airways wider and breathing easier. 

After a while, these tissues and muscles get “toned” to stay in this opened and wide position. Nasal breathing begets more nasal breathing. 

“Whatever happens to the nose affects what’s happening in the mouth, the airways, the lungs,” said Patrick McKeown during a phone interview. He’s a bestselling Irish author and one of the world’s leading experts on nasal breathing. “These aren’t separate things that operate autonomously—it’s one united airway,” he told me. 

None of this should come as a surprise. When seasonal allergies hit, incidences of sleep apnea and breathing difficulties shoot up. The nose gets stuffed, we start mouth breathing, and the airways collapse. 

“It’s simple physics,” McKeown told me. “Sleeping with an open mouth exacerbates these problems. Whenever we put our heads on a pillow, gravity pulls the soft tissues in the throat and tongue down, closing off the airway even more. After a while, our airways get conditioned to this position; snoring and sleep apnea become the new normal.”

The whole thing seemed a little sketchy until Ann Kearney, a doctor of speech-language pathology at the Stanford Voice and Swallowing Center, told me the same. Kearney helped rehabilitate patients who had swallowing and breathing disorders. 

She swore by mouth taping. Kearney herself had spent years as a mouth breather due to chronic congestion. She visited an ear, nose, and throat specialist and discovered that her nasal cavities were blocked with tissue. The specialist advised that the only way to open her nose was through surgery or medications. 

She tried mouth taping instead.

“The first night, I lasted five minutes before I ripped it off,” she told me. On the second night, she was able to tolerate the tape for ten minutes. A couple of days later, she slept through the night. 

Within six weeks, her nose opened up. “It’s a classic example of use it or lose it,” Kearney said. 

To prove her claim, she examined the noses of 50 patients who had undergone laryngectomies, a procedure in which a breathing hole is cut into the throat. Within two months to two years, every patient was suffering from complete nasal obstruction. Like other parts of the body, the nasal cavity responds to whatever inputs it receives. When the nose is denied regular use, 

it will atrophy.

 

by Chris Kresser, M.S.

Published on February 19, 2019

Industrial seed oils have no place in a healthy diet.

Contrary to what we’ve been told, industrial seed oils such as soybean, canola, and corn oils are not “heart healthy” or otherwise beneficial for our bodies and brains; in fact, plenty of research indicates that these oils are making us sick. Read on to learn about the history of the industrial seed oil industry, the adverse health effects of consuming these oils, and what dietary fats you should eat instead.

Unlike traditional fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, butter, ghee, and lard, industrial seed oils are a very recent addition to the human diet.

In fact, industrial seed oils, the highly processed oils extracted from soybeans, corn, rapeseed (the source of canola oil), cottonseed, and safflower seeds, were only introduced into the American diet in the early 1900s. How, then, did these oils come to occupy such an influential position not only in the Standard American Diet but in “”Westernized” diets around the world? The story is strange indeed.

Industrial seed oils were originally used in the soapmaking process. So how did these industrial byproducts end up on our plates? 

In 1870s Cincinnati, two soapmakers—William Procter and James Gamble—decided to enter into business together. While soap had historically been made from rendered pork fat, Procter and Gamble were an innovative pair and decided to create a new type of soap from vegetable oils. Around the same time, oil was discovered in Pennsylvania; it quickly displaced cottonseed oil, which had long been used for lighting, as a fuel source. Cottonseed oil was consigned to the status of “toxic waste” until the enterprising Procter & Gamble realized that all that unwanted cottonseed oil could be used to produce soap. But there was another plus that appealed to their business sensibilities: the oil could be chemically altered via a process called “hydrogenation” to turn it into a solid cooking fat that resembled lard. That’s how an oil formerly classified as “toxic waste” became an integral part of the American diet when Crisco was introduced to the market in the early 1900s. 

Soon, other vegetable oils followed. Soybeans were introduced to the United States in the 1930s, and by the 1950s, it had become the most popular vegetable oil in the country. Canola, corn, and safflower oils followed shortly after that. The low cost of these cooking oils, combined with strategic marketing on the part of the oil manufacturers, made them wildly popular in American kitchens even though their use was unprecedented in human history.

Our modern lifestyle is wreaking havoc on our health. Whether it’s our stress levels, our lack of sleep and movement, or nutrient-poor diets, many of us are living in a way that negatively affects our health. The Industrial Revolution brought us incredible efficiencies in production, but that has had a negative impact on the general quality of much of the food available to us. The price that we pay for lower-quality food, including the rise in industrial seed oils, is greater inflammation and incidence of chronic disease.
Many dietary factors may contribute to inflammation. They include consumption of industrial seed oils, but also consumption of gluten and excess refined sugar. The effect of these foods on our health can vary from low energy and brain fog to flare-ups in debilitating chronic diseases like multiple sclerosis and greater challenges in managing diabetes.

The general process used to create industrial seed oils is anything but natural. The oils extracted from soybeans, corn, cottonseed, safflower seeds, and rapeseeds must be refined, bleached, and deodorized before they are suitable for human consumption.

1. First, seeds are gathered from the soy, corn, cotton, safflower, and rapeseed plants.
2. Next, the seeds are heated to extremely high temperatures; this causes the unsaturated fatty acids in the seeds to oxidize, creating byproducts that are harmful to human and animal health.
3. The seeds are then processed with a petroleum-based solvent, such as hexane, to maximize the amount of oil extracted from them.
4. Next, industrial seed oil manufacturers use chemicals to deodorize the oils, which have a very off-putting smell once extracted. The deodorization process produces trans fats, which are well known to be quite harmful to human health.
5. Finally, more chemicals are added to improve the color of the industrial seed oils.

Altogether, industrial seed oil processing creates an energy-dense, nutrient-poor oil that contains chemical residues, trans fats, and oxidized byproducts.

How did industrial seed oils go from being classified as “toxic waste” to enjoying the title of “heart healthy” fats? The story involves a scandalous combination of donations to medical organizations, dubious scientific research, and unsubstantiated marketing claims.

In the late 1940s, a small group of cardiologists who were members of the still somewhat new American Heart Association received a $1.5 million donation from Procter & Gamble; thanks to this generous infusion of cash from the makers of Crisco, the AHA now had sufficient funding to grow its national profile as a physician’s organization dedicated to heart health. It also were quick to endorse industrial seed oils, more kindly referred to by now as “vegetable oils,” as a healthier alternative to traditional animal fats.

Around the same time, an ambitious physiologist and researcher named Ancel Keys introduced his diet–lipid hypothesis, in which he presented data that seemed to suggest a link between saturated fat and cholesterol intake and heart disease. Since animal fats are a rich source of dietary saturated fat and cholesterol, they quickly became the object of his derision. Citing animal fats as “unhealthy,” Keys instead recommended the consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which preliminary research had associated with reductions in cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. Keys’ conclusions were in line with the industrial seed oil industry’s motives—to get people to eat more seed oils! Soon, ads for “heart healthy” margarine (a solid form of vegetable oil) and other seed oils became commonplace, and healthy, traditional fats were all but forgotten.

While Keys’ lipid hypothesis is now understood to be based upon faulty research, his ideas nonetheless permeated the medical community. (2) Soon, many medical organizations, including the National Cholesterol Education Program and the National Institutes of Health, had hopped aboard the anti-animal fat train, echoing the AHA’s advice that people should avoid animal fat and instead consume polyunsaturated vegetable oils such as Crisco and other shortenings, soybean oil, and corn oil. This confluence of events and mutual interests led to the sweeping replacement of natural dietary fats such as lard and butter with unsaturated industrial seed oils, indelibly changing the shape of the American (and eventually, the global) food landscape.

Only in recent years has the validity of the health claims associated with industrial seed oils been seriously called into question. A 2014 meta-analysis found no benefit to overall health from reducing saturated fats or increasing PUFAs from vegetable oils. (3) Furthermore, the evidence does not support current dietary guidelines urging people to replace saturated fats with vegetable oils. (4, 5)

In fact, a growing body of research indicates that the consumption of industrial seed oils has significant adverse effects on our health.

There are six main problems with industrial seed oils:

1. The consumption of industrial seed oils represents an evolutionary mismatch.
2. Eating industrial seed oils raises our omega-6-to-omega-3 fatty acid ratios, with significant consequences for our health.
3. Industrial seed oils are unstable and oxidize easily.
4. They contain harmful additives.
5. They’re derived from genetically modified crops.
6. When industrial seed oils are repeatedly heated, even more toxic byproducts are created.

Evolutionary mismatch, a mismatch between our genes and the modern environment, is the primary driver of chronic disease today. In few areas is evolutionary mismatch more apparent than in the Standard American Diet; the high amounts of refined carbohydrates and calories of this diet work against our ancestral biology, causing us to become overweight and sick.

Industrial seed oils, like refined sugar and excess calories, also represent an evolutionary mismatch. Up until the 1900s, humans did not consume industrial seed oils. From 1970 to 2000, the average consumption of one industrial seed oil, soybean oil, skyrocketed from a mere four pounds per person per year to a whopping 26 pounds per person per year! (6)

Today, linoleic acid, the primary fatty acid in industrial seed oils, accounts for 8 percent of our total calorie intake; in our hunter–gatherer ancestors, it accounted for only 1 to 3 percent of total calories. (7) Researchers who are wise on the topic of evolutionary mismatch posit that our bodies just aren’t designed to handle such a massive consumption of linoleic acid. As a result, our high levels of industrial seed oil consumption are causing our health to suffer.

Essential fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats that we humans cannot make ourselves and must, therefore, consume in our diets. They come in two varieties: omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids. Upon consumption, omega-6 fatty acids give rise to arachidonic acid and potent metabolites that are primarily pro-inflammatory in nature, including prostaglandin E2 and leukotriene B4. Omega-3 fatty acids such as ALA, EPA, and DHA, on the other hand, give rise to anti-inflammatory derivatives.

A delicate balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids must be maintained in the body to promote optimal health. The ancestral ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is 1 to 1. Westernized diets, however, greatly exceed this balance, with omega-6 to omega-3 ratios in the range of 10 to 1 to 20 to 1. (8) A high intake of omega-6 fatty acids, combined with low omega-3 intake, leads to an imbalance in pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators. This imbalance produces a state of chronic inflammation that contributes to numerous chronic disease processes.

Industrial seed oils are perhaps the most significant contributor to the imbalanced omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio characteristic of Westernized diets and thus play a significant role in chronic inflammatory diseases.

The polyunsaturated fatty acids in industrial seed oils are highly unstable and oxidize easily upon exposure to heat, light, and chemical inputs. When industrial seed oils are exposed to these factors, two harmful substances—trans fats and lipid peroxides—are created. Trans fats are well known for their role in the development of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes; in fact, for every 2 percent increase in calories from trans fats, your risk of heart disease is nearly doubled! (9) Lipid peroxides, on the other hand, are toxic byproducts that damage DNA, proteins, and membrane lipids throughout the body. The accumulation of lipid peroxides in the body promotes aging and the development of chronic diseases.

Because the fatty acids in industrial seed oils are so unstable, synthetic antioxidants are added in an attempt to prevent oxidation and rancidity. Unfortunately, these synthetic antioxidants come with problems of their own. The synthetic antioxidants BHA, BHT, and TBHQ have endocrine-disrupting, carcinogenic, and immune-disrupting effects. (10, 11, 12, 13) Also, TBHQ has been found to increase the IgE (immunoglobulin E) response to food allergens, setting off a release of antibodies, and may thereby promote the development of food allergies. (14)

In addition to being nutrient poor and full of unsavory chemicals and toxic byproducts, the overwhelming majority of industrial seed oils are derived from genetically modified plants. In fact, the plants used to make industrial seed oils comprise the top genetically modified crops—corn, soy, cotton, and rapeseed. In the United States, 88 percent of corn, 93 percent of soy, 94 percent of cotton, and 93 percent of rapeseed crops are genetically modified. (15, 16, 17) Few studies have been conducted on the long-term safety of consuming genetically modified foods, giving us yet another reason to avoid consuming industrial seed oils.

As if industrial seed oils weren’t already bad enough for our health, restaurants and home cooks frequently engage in a practice that further magnifies their harmful effects—they repeatedly heat industrial seed oils. While the habit of reusing industrial seed oils over and over (typically in large deep-fryers, in the case of restaurants) reduces costs, it results in an oil that is chock-full of toxic byproducts.

The repeated heating of industrial seed oils depletes vitamin E, a natural antioxidant, while inducing the formation of free radicals that cause oxidative stress and damage DNA, proteins, and lipids throughout the body. These harmful effects explain why repeatedly heated industrial seed oils are associated with high blood pressure, heart disease, and intestinal and liver damage. (18, 19, 20)

Contrary to what many health organizations have been telling us for years, industrial seed oils are not healthy foods. Rather, their consumption is associated with a variety of health problems.

Eating industrial seed oils may increase your risk of asthma. A high intake of omega-6 fatty acids, such as those present in industrial seed oils, relative to omega-3 fatty acids increases pro-inflammatory mediators associated with asthma. (21)

Industrial seed oils may promote autoimmunity by raising the body’s omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio and by increasing oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. (22)

Industrial seed oils are particularly harmful to the brain. A high omega-6-to-omega-3 fatty acid ratio predisposes individuals to depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and dementia. (23, 24) Canola oil consumption is linked to worsened memory and impaired learning ability in Alzheimer’s disease. (25) Trans fats, which end up in industrial seed oils unintentionally, as a consequence of chemical and heat processing, and intentionally, during the process of hydrogenation, are associated with increased risks of dementia and, interestingly, aggression. (26, 27)

Are industrial seed oils making us overweight and diabetic? The science certainly seems to suggest so. Research in mice indicates that consuming high levels of linoleic acid, the primary fatty acid in industrial seed oils, alters neurotransmitter signaling, ultimately increasing food consumption and fat mass. (28) In mice, a diet high in soybean oil induces obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and fatty liver disease. (29, 30) Animal research also suggests that canola oil may cause insulin resistance. (31)

Human studies also point to the effects of industrial seed oils on diabetes and obesity, especially in children. A maternal diet high in omega-6s compared to omega-3s is associated with an increased risk of obesity, a major risk factor for diabetes, in children. (32) A childhood diet with a high omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio may also lead to insulin resistance, prediabetes, and obesity in adulthood. (33, 34)

Contrary to what the AHA has been telling us for the past 100 years, industrial seed oils are not good for our hearts! In fact, oxidized fatty acids from industrial seed oils appear to play a pivotal role in the development of cardiovascular disease. Researcher James DiNicolantonio has presented a theory called the “oxidized linoleic acid theory of coronary heart disease” that links the consumption of linoleic acid-rich industrial seed oils with cardiovascular disease. (35) His theory goes like this:

• Dietary linoleic acid from industrial seed oils is incorporated into blood lipoproteins.
• The instability of linoleic acid increases the likelihood of lipoproteins oxidizing.
• Oxidized lipoproteins are unable to be recognized by their respective receptors throughout the body and instead activate macrophages, which initiate foam cell formation, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease.

Industrial seed oils also contribute to cardiovascular disease by increasing the omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio. A high omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease because excess omega-6 has pro-inflammatory and prothrombotic effects on the vascular system. (36) Finally, another emerging theory suggests that canola and soybean oils may contribute to cardiovascular disease by inhibiting processes involving vitamin K2, which is essential for heart health. (37)

Research suggests that industrial seed oils may harm gut health, contributing to conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In one study, mice fed a diet high in omega-6 fatty acids from corn oil experienced increases in pro-inflammatory gut bacteria; these changes favor the development of gastrointestinal pathologies, among many other chronic diseases. (38)

Human studies also suggest a link between industrial seed oils and GI conditions. Women with IBS demonstrate significantly elevated levels of arachidonic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid abundant in industrial seed oils, and pro-inflammatory PUFA metabolites, compared to healthy controls. (39) Furthermore, an imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids is correlated with IBD. (40)

These findings suggest that consuming high levels of omega-6 fatty acids alters the gut microbiota and promotes gastrointestinal inflammation, thereby contributing to the development of IBS and IBD. Since industrial seed oils are the most abundant source of omega-6 fatty acids in the Standard American Diet, it stands to reason that people with IBS and IBD should avoid these oils and instead consume natural fats from olive oil, coconut oil, wild seafood, nuts and seeds, and healthy animal fats.

A high omega-6 intake from industrial seed oils promotes chronic inflammation. The consumption of both partially hydrogenated industrial seed oils and non-hydrogenated soybean oil is associated with elevations in C-reactive protein, TNF-alpha, and interleukin-6, which are biomarkers of systemic inflammation. (41, 42)

Approximately 9 percent of men and 11 percent of women in the United States have impaired fertility. (43) While many factors are contributing to soaring rates of infertility, one overlooked cause may be our high consumption of industrial seed oils. Infertile men exhibit a significantly elevated omega-6-to-omega-3 fatty acid ratio compared to fertile men. (44) In animal studies of female mammals, a high intake of omega-6 fatty acids causes poor reproductive outcomes. (45)

Industrial seed oils may be harmful to the eyes. A high intake of omega-6 fatty acids increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration, an eye disease that causes progressive vision loss and eventual blindness. (46) Imbalanced levels of omega-6 consumption may contribute to eye problems by promoting inflammation and by displacing the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, which is crucial for vision.

In individuals with osteoarthritis, there’s an association between omega-6 fatty acids and the presence of synovitis, an inflammation of the membrane that lines joint cavities. Conversely, an inverse relationship has been found between omega-3 fatty acid consumption and cartilage loss in the knee as indicated by MRI. (47) Since industrial seed oils contribute a large amount of omega-6 fatty acids to the diet, avoiding these oils may be beneficial for those with or at risk of osteoarthritis.

The first step in banishing industrial seed oils from your diet is to clean out your pantry and get rid of any bottles of canola, corn, cottonseed, soybean, sunflower, safflower, or peanut oils you have in your kitchen. These oils are not “healthy,” despite misleading claims that may appear on their labels.

Step number 2 is to stop eating processed foods, as these are a significant source of industrial seed oils. Also try to reduce your consumption of restaurant foods, which are typically cooked in repeatedly heated industrial seed oils.

Finally, step 3 is to avoid eating grain-fed meat, to the extent you can. There is evidence to suggest that grain-fed animals may accumulate the toxic byproducts of industrial seed oils, which comprise a large part of their diet, in their meat; when you eat this meat, you too may become a repository for lipid peroxides and other harmful byproducts of industrial seed oils.

While industrial seed oils are high in omega-6, there are also plenty of whole, fresh foods that naturally contain omega-6 fatty acids, including nuts, poultry, and avocados. When consumed as part of a balanced, real-food diet containing abundant omega-3 fatty acids from seafood, omega-6 from whole foods is not a problem. These whole-food sources of omega-6 fatty acids include nutrients that protect omega-6 from becoming oxidized, and they are also not exposed to the chemicals and industrial treatments that make industrial seed oils so toxic.

Now that you’ve eliminated industrial seed oils from your kitchen, what fats should you use instead? Look to the types of fats our ancestors have used for thousands of years—olive oil, coconut oil, and animal fats are natural, wholesome sources of fatty acids for nourishing our bodies.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the types of fats I recommend.

Un-adulterated Olive oil has been a part of the human diet for literally thousands of years. It is rich in the antioxidant vitamin E and polyphenols with a wide range of health-promoting properties, including cardioprotective and anti-diabetic properties. One tablespoon of un-adulterated olive oil contains 1.9 grams of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), 9.8 grams of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and 1.4 grams of PUFAs.

Coconut oil is a superfood with many health-promoting properties. It contains medium-chain triglycerides such as lauric acid, a fatty acid that is readily used by the body for energy and has antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. Coconut oil contains 90 percent saturated fat, which makes it very heat stable.

If you tolerate dairy, butter and ghee may be great additions to your diet. Butter and ghee from grass-fed animals contain conjugated linoleic acid, a type of fatty acid with anti-cancer and metabolic health-promoting properties. While butter may contain traces of milk proteins, ghee is usually a safe option even for dairy-sensitive people because all milk constituents are removed in its creation.

Both butter and ghee are comprised mainly of saturated fat. One tablespoon of butter contains 7.2 grams of SFAs, 2.9 grams of MUFAs and 0.4 grams of PUFAs, while one tablespoon of ghee contains 8 grams of SFAs, 3.7 grams of MUFAs, and 0.5 grams of PUFAs.

This may come as a surprise, but it turns out that lard is mostly composed of monounsaturated fat, the type of fat in olive oil that has been promoted as “heart healthy” by the conventional medical community for decades! Lard, the fat rendered from pigs, is high in saturated fat and is a good substitute for butter in recipes if you can’t tolerate dairy.

One tablespoon of lard contains 5 grams of SFAs, 6 grams of MUFAs, and 1.6 grams of PUFAs. Lard also contains 500 to 1000 IU of vitamin D per serving, depending on what the pigs ate and whether they were exposed to sunlight. If you are interested in getting a nice dose of vitamin D from lard, choose lard produced from pastured pigs that have been allowed to roam outdoors.

Tallow is fat rendered from meat other than pork, such as beef and bison. It has a high smoke point that makes it great for high-heat cooking. In fact, most restaurants used tallow in their deep fryers until the 1970s, when the industrial seed oil industry usurped the position of traditional fats in our diets. Tallow contains 6.4 grams of SFAs, 5.3 grams of MUFAs, and 0.5 grams of PUFAs in a one-tablespoon serving.

Duck fat is a delicious traditional cooking oil that also has great versatility. It has a high smoke point, making it great for high-heat cooking, but a delicate flavor and similar fatty acid profile to olive oil. One tablespoon of duck fat has 4 grams of SFAs, 6 grams of MUFAs, and 1.6 grams of PUFAs. Try using pastured duck fat for roasting potatoes—you’ll never want to use anything else for cooking potatoes once you’ve given it a try!

Finally, be sure to incorporate plenty of healthy fats from whole foods into your diet. Soaked and sprouted nuts, avocado, coconut, wild-caught fatty fish, grass-fed meats, and wild game are all excellent sources of healthy fats and can be incorporated into your diet in countless ways. Note: When you’re choosing animal fats for cooking, remember to choose pasture-raised sources because conventional alternatives are significantly higher in omega-6s.

If optimal health is your goal, then industrial seed oils have no place in your diet. Instead, cook with traditional animal fats, get your omega-6s from whole food sources such as nuts and poultry, and balance things out with omega-3 fatty acids from seafood, shellfish, and fish oil.

These photos are from Weston Price, himself.

A Note from Dr Stephen Lin

In the generations since the prevalence of sugar, our children's jaws have failed to develop.

In the 30s, Weston Price documented the sharp decline of the human dental arch.

What he found:

His Patients ate: refined/white sugar, white flour, canned condensed milk, canned foods, vegetable oils, skim or low-fat milk.

People in traditional cultures ate: no refined foods. They ate nutrient dense foods, foods with a higher healthy fat content, high enzyme content foods, foods higher in vitamins and minerals, animal foods, eggs.

His sugar eating Patients: weak immune systems/not resistant to disease, narrow bone structures (narrow jaw may relate to narrow pelvis = difficult childbirths, narrow nasal passages and constricted ear canal = frequent upper respiratory infections), digestive disorders, weak dispositions.

Health of people from traditional cultures: resistant to disease/strong immune systems, healthy digestive systems, no infections, wide bone structure, hardy & strong.

His Patients' teeth: tooth decay, crooked teeth, narrow jaw, narrow palates, overcrowding, underbites, narrow faces.

Teeth in traditional cultures: no tooth decay, straight teeth, wide jaw, wide palates, room for all the teeth, no overbites or underbites, round faces

His Patients - In late childhood we see it with crowded crooked teeth requiring braces. In late adolescence we see it when wisdom teeth don’t fit.

What are the consequences?
⠀
What we are witnessing is one of the most important health trends of human history. When our jawbones don’t develop, our airways are less developed. The roof of the mouth is the floor of the nasal sinuses, and reduces the volume to breathe through.⠀
⠀
That results in increased pressure in the airway, and can lead to obstructed breathing during sleep, or sleep apnea. We are currently in an epidemic of people.⠀
⠀
How prevalent would you guess sleep apnea is in the world?⠀
⠀
The figures reported in the Lancet estimate a billion people suffer from sleep apnea.

Today you can see the signs with narrow jaws and faces and you can see the symptoms in mouth breathing and poor sleep.

Click here for the Weston Price Foundation

TBA